Ag Construction industry speaks out against tougher livestock rules

The state’s Ag construction industry is lining up against the legislature’s attempt to pass tougher standards for livestock confinements. Don Skadburg, marketing director for Henning Construction in Johnston, says the state’s economy will suffer. He says the bill will not only have disastrous implications for animal agriculture, he says it will also stagnate all the activities of allied industries. Skadburg says the proposed regulations are “anti-agriculture.” He says the bill places too many restrictions on the growth of livestock and poultry operations. Skadburg says the bill was drafted without the input of any agricultural organizations and is not science based.The “gang of 12” legislators who’ve been drafting the bill have been meeting in private the past three months, and met in secret again yesterday to make a few changes to the plan. Skadburg joined Iowa’s commodity groups, the Farm Bureau, the Iowa Area Economic Development group and Iowa’s Ag Secretary at a news conference yesterday in Des Moines to denounce the proposed regulations.